Timewarp
by Daughter of Nature
Summary: A series of Alanna/Kel drabbles set around an unusual task set for Kel by the Goddess. Written for the Alanna vs Uline round of Goldenlake's Tortall Fanfiction SMACKDOWN.
1. Chapter 1

Kel's vision cleared, and she realised she was standing in the same palace hallway, but surrounded by a group of boys that she'd never seen before.

"Where did you come from?"

Kel jumped. She knew that voice. "My lord?" she asked, and peered at a much younger looking Raoul of Goldenlake. Her eyes widened as she realised she was looking at younger versions of her knight-master, the prime minister, the _king_, and –

"Lioness!"

Alanna blinked, taken aback. "I don't know you, and I don't know what you're talking about."

"Could I have a word?" Alanna reluctantly followed her a short distance away, and Kel bent down to whisper in her ear. "I know you're a girl."

Alanna gasped and shoved her away. "Go away and leave me alone! I've never even seen you before."

"No, please listen." She lowered her voice again. "The Goddess sent me here."

"Why?"

"She said I'd realise soon enough, and I think I know now. I'm your cover-up."

"My what?"

"To make your lie seem more believable." Kel smiled, and leaned down to kiss her.


	2. Chapter 2

"I haven't seen you before, I'm Raoul of Goldenlake." Kel was horrified to find her (younger) knight-master kissing her hand. The next thing she knew, the prime minister was smoothing his moustache at her, and the king –no, prince – was jostling for her attention too.

"As much as I would love to make your acquaintance, it's been months since Alan and I last saw each other. We have some catching up to do."

"Alan, you sly dog."

"Why didn't you tell us you had a lady friend?"

"Oh, we're more than friends," supplied Kel, and kissed Alanna on the cheek before hooking her arm through hers. "He's just a little shy about it."

They walked down the hallway together, but stopped as soon as they got to the end. "One more kiss," Kel insisted. "We have to look the part. And then I'll tell you everything when we get back to your room."


	3. Chapter 3

"So I'm in the palace in Corus, and you're Alanna of Trebond."

Alanna hesitated and then nodded. She didn't want to anger this person who could expose her secret, but she couldn't not ask questions either. "Who are you, and where are you from?"

"I'm Keladry of Mindelan, and I was sent from the future. It's the year 458 where I'm from, and I'm sixteen years old. I'm a squire, the next female one after you."

This caught Alanna's interest. "You're a squire?"

Kel nodded. "What year is it here?"

"435," replied Alanna, as though she was stating the obvious. "I'm sixteen too." She looked at the cat that sat beside her on the bed. "Faithful, was she truly sent by the Goddess?"

Kel watched as the cat meowed at Alanna. "What's he saying?"

Alanna blushed bright red. "He says I should practice kissing you."

"That sounds like a good idea."


	4. Chapter 4

"I don't think I've ever seen a woman resist Jon's charm before. Well, except for me, but I don't think I count."

Kel shrugged. "He told me he'd be happy to keep me company if I wanted the company of a real man. I just told him politely that I wasn't interested, and that I'd rather have your company." She sighed. "I'm not quite sure what I think of him in the future, that's all."

"Oh." Alanna thought about this. "What do you think of me in the future?"

"I've never met you, but I really look up to you."

"To _me_?"

"You're famous, a legend."

Alanna wasn't sure what to make of this. She'd rather do something more practical than wrap her mind around her future self. "Could you just kiss me again?"


	5. Chapter 5

They lay exhausted; Alanna resting her head on Kel's chest, and Kel's hands running gently over her skin.

"That was fun," murmured Kel.

"It was," agreed Alanna. "Um…do I prefer women in the future?"

"I don't know. I've never met you, and nobody with any sense believes the rumours."

"Rumours?"

"They've had you sleeping with anybody they can think of."

Alanna looked aghast. "Even Jon and Gary and Raoul?"

Kel giggled despite herself. "That's only the start of it."

"It's not true, is it?"

Kel ran her hands through her hair. "I don't think so. I've met your husband, and I've always heard you're both very happy together."

Alanna swallowed hard. "My _husband_?"

"I probably shouldn't have said that."

"I'm _married_? I don't want to get married, I want to have adventures."

"You do, you're famous for them. Please don't look so worried."

"Who's my husband?"

"I'm not telling, I don't want to ruin things. But I know that he loves you."

"But who is he?"

"My mother always says there's no sense in worrying about things that are going to happen anyway."

"Oh, gods!" Alanna threw herself off the bed and clutched her tunic in front of her. "I'm not –"

"I wouldn't sleep with my mother!"

Alanna exhaled shakily, and Kel studied her.

"You know, I think you could do with a distraction." She grinned and towed Alanna back onto the bed.


	6. Chapter 6

"Relax," Kel whispered. "You don't need to look so nervous."

Alanna was visibly nervous. "What if somebody knows? A mage or someone?"

"You're forgetting, the Goddess sent me here. Her powers would far outweigh any that a human mage could possess."

"I suppose you're right," Alanna agreed.

Kel laughed. "You look as though you're absolutely terrified to be dancing with me."

"I am." Alanna looked up at her and grinned. "Not really. But I think I must've looked like this with all the girls I danced with before I met you."

Kel grinned. "So I'm better to dance with than them?" Alanna nodded. "Well, that deserves a kiss."


	7. Chapter 7

"This is great." Alanna stretched up on her toes, hooked her arms behind Kel's neck, and gave her a deep kiss.

"I agree," murmured Kel as they parted. "But what were you talking about?"

Alanna gave her a lopsided grin. "I should've explained. You being here, I mean. It's nice for me personally, because we get to…you know, spend time together, and…things." She blushed but kept talking. "But it means that all the others are more believing of my lie too. And they're not teasing me for being unmanly any more."

Kel smiled at her. "That is great. Shall we go and get ourselves caught in a compromising position in the gardens again?"


	8. Chapter 8

"You're not going to leave me, are you?" Alanna stroked Kel's stomach gently as they lay in bed.

Kel sighed. "I don't know."

"How can you not know? You just arrived, not knowing anything?"

"The Goddess didn't tell me much at all. Just said that I'd work out my purpose for being here soon enough."

"So you think that sometime, you might just go?"

Kel shrugged. "I suppose so. I enjoy it here though."

"I enjoy having you here."

"You'll meet me in the future some day, I'm sure."

Alanna smiled. "I suppose that's a little comfort. Even if I will be old."

Kel ran a hand down her thigh. "We'll just have to make the most of our time together now."


	9. Chapter 9

"I can't believe we haven't met, in the future." Alanna shifted to look up at Kel. "I know I'm old when you start your training, but you've been doing it for six years! I'd be keen to meet you, I'm sure."

Kel sighed. "You are. It's just that there were all sorts of accusations after you got your shield and revealed yourself. People said that you'd cheated with your magic."

Alanna was infuriated. "I'd never do that!"

"I know. But the king and the training master insisted that you not be allowed near me."

"But I'd find a way," Alanna insisted. "I'd talk to you somehow, I'm sure. Or smuggle letters, or send gifts."

Kel stared at her, her mouth fallen open. "The gifts," she said, shocked. "It was you." She leaned down and kissed the smaller girl even more passionately than before.


End file.
